Landscape openness, 2017

Extremes of openness

Landscape openness is determined by the number of elements above eye level: slopes, tall vegetation such as woods, tree belts and wooded banks, and buildings in towns and villages, such as houses and commercial buildings. In the early 20th century, there were large differences in landscape openness across the country. However, much has changed during the last century and landscapes have become much more uniform. Nevertheless, extremes of open and enclosed landscapes still remain. Enclosed landscapes are small-scale landscapes, with many small wooded patches, tree rows and wooded banks that alternate with or enclose agricultural fields.

Marine clay and sandy areas

In the north and west of the Netherlands, large open spaces are mainly found in the marine clay areas, the Zuiderzee polders and parts of the peat meadow area and the Veenkoloniën area of former peat workings reclaimed for agriculture. These areas have few buildings and little tall vegetation, and the latter is concentrated in and around villages and farm buildings. Small-scale landscapes where fields alternate with many small wooded patches, tree rows and wooded banks are mainly found on sandy soils (Noordelijke Wouden, Twente, Graafschap, Winterswijk, Gelderse Vallei and central Brabant). More enclosed areas are found in some transitional landscapes from higher ground to the floodplains of the major rivers of the Netherlands (Langbroekerwetering in the province of Utrecht), and in the south-western marine clay area (Walcheren and Zuid-Beveland).